Gesellschaet



March 11 1924.

1,486,114 w. AKEMANN CONNING TURRET Filed Jan. 5, 1921 Patented ll/llar.ll, i924.

WALTHER AKEMANN, OF ESSE'N, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO FRIED. ERUPP AE'EIEN-GESELIl-SGEAFT, F ESSEN-ON-TI-IE-RUHR, GERMANY.

CONNING TURRE'I.

Application filed January 3, 1921. Serial No. 434,633.

I (GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1921, .41 STAT.In, 1313.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTHER AKEMANN, residing at Essen, Germany, acitizen of the German Re ublic, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in (Jouning Turrets (for which I have filed application inGermany, filed July 8th, 1916), of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a fixed conning 10 turret for men'of-war,having a cupola adapted to rotate about a vertical axis and supporting atelescope sight for its part ca pable of being stabilized by means of agyroscope, and positively connected to a transmitter mounted within theturret and appertaining to an apparatus serving for laterally trainingthe guns at long distance. The invention will be further described withreference to the accompanying drawing which illustrate one embodiment ofthe subject matter of the invention by way of example and in which aconning turret of a man-of-war is shown in a vertical section.

Referring to this drawing A denotes the turret which is rigidly mountedon the ship and is provided with a series of sight openings a and withinthe cover a of which a cupola A is disposed to rotate about a verticalaxis. A bracket a extending into the interior of the cupola and fixed tothe side wall "thereof carries a telescope sight a capable of beingstabilized by means of a gyroscope (not shown). In addition 5 there isarranged in the side wall of the eupola, and in front of the object lensof the telescope sight a, a narrow observation opening a through whichthe object to be fired at may be observed by means of the telescopesight a A toothed wheel B having a hand wheel 12 pivoted to the cupola Aand cooperating with an internally toothed wheel a, for its part rigidlyfixed to the cover a of the turret serves to rotate the cupola A A seata is arranged at the inner wall of the cupola A facing the eyepiece ofthe telescope sight, for the man appointed to observe the object; saidseat being so located that the man may observe the object and at thesame time rotate the hand wheel 6 The cupola A is furthermore providedwith a part a extending into the turret and supporting a toothed-wheela. A toothed wheel 0 meshes with the wheel a, the said toothed wheel 0being mounted on the adjustable part G of the transmitter of anapparatus for laterally training the guns at longdistance, while thestationary part C of Said transmitter is fixed to a side wall of theturret. From the stationary partC of the transmitter a series ofelectric lines 0 run to the appropriate receivers (not shown) disposedat the gun emplac'ements, of the long-distance training apparatus. Thisapparatus is so constructed that every turn of the cupola A will befollowed by a rotation, perfectly true in angle, of the adjustable partsof the respective receiver.

In the use of the described conning turret for laterally training theguns located at the receiver stations, and this while the ship isrolling, the gyroscope (not shown) is first of all set in motion and thetelescope sight (L5 focused horizontally. Hereupon, the observer, seatedas said at a sets the hand wheel Z2 in rotation, while at the same timeobserving the object by means of the telescope sight a. As the handwheel I) rotates, the toothed wheel B rigidly connected to the handwheel rolls over the stationary toothed wheel a so that the cupola A isset in rotation about its vertical central axis. The rotation of thehand wheel 12 and therewith the rotation of the cupola A is continueduntil the telescope sight a, which retains its horizontal position owingto the effect of the gyroscopic rotation, has been focused laterallyupon the object to be fired at. In this rotation of the cupola Aparticipates by intervention of the toothed gear (L10 c the adjustablepart C of the transmitter C C of the long distance train- 'ing apparatusfor the guns to be pointed,

and this in such wise that the angular lateral displacement imparted tothe cupola A will be transmitted true in angle, upon the receiverslocated at the gun emplacements. 4 g

The hereinbefore described conning turret is distinguished by the partsrequired for lateral training at long distance being so constructed andarranged that, on the one hand, the lateral training at long distance ofthe guns in question can e effected with utmost accuracy even while thelit! ship is rolling, Whereas, on the other hand, the probability ofshells penetrating the sight opening provided for observing the objectthat may be located'in any direction whatsoever, is reduced to aminimum.

Claims.

1. An arrangement of the class described comprising a conning turret, arotatable cupola mounted upon said turret, a sighting device andstabilizing means therefor supportedin' said cupola, means for rotatingsaid cupola and rotating therewith, and means initiated by the rotationof said cupola for laterally training guns.

2. An arrangement of the class described comprising a conning turret, arotatable cupola mounted upon said turret, a stabilized sighting devicesupported within said cupola for rotation therewith, means for rotatingsaid cupola'with respect to said turret and an electric long distancecontrol device operatively connected to said cupola and operated uponits rotation for, effecting a lateral training of guns.

3 A conning turretfor men-of-War com prising in combination a cupola,means securing said cupola to said turret to permitsaid cupola to rotateabout a vertical axis and relatively to said turret, a stabilizedmechanism for rotating said cupola relatively to said turret, atransmitter secured to said turret and forming a part of an electricaldistance gun training mechanism and mechanical connection between saidtransmitter and cupola whereby rotation of said cupola will effect arotation of said transmitter.

The foregoing specification signed at Essen, Germany, this 2nd day ofNovember, 1

DR. WALTHER AKEMANN. In presenceof HANS GoTTsMANN,

JoHANN DECKERS.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,486,114, grantedMarch 11-, 1924, upon the application of Walther Akemann, of Essen,Germany, for an improvement in ConningoTurrets, an error appears an theprinted specific atiofi requiring correction as follows z-Page 2, line12 claim 1, str1 l e out the words an rotating therewith and insert thesame to folovv cupola 1n lme 11, same page and claim; and that the saidLetters Patent should be read w1th'th1s correction therein that the samemay conform to the record of the casein the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 1st day of April, A. D. 1924.

[SEAL.]

, KARL FENNING, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

